If I have a degree whose original name is in another language than english, should I translate it to english (talking about international cv) or write it with its original name?

Actually I'm writing degrees like "original name (eq to ....)". For example in my case I'm spanish and I have the following degree: "Ingeniero Técnico en Informática (Eq. to B.Eng in Computer Science)".

Is that a proper way of write it? Or should I translate or write only in its original language?

2 Answers
2

Do translate the degree on your resume to English (B.Eng in Computer Science). Recruiters want to easily categorize you, and this is something that they are familiar with.

Also keep in mind that you will probably have to do the following things if you apply to large corporations that care about all of the paperwork:

1) Some companies will require degrees/diplomas to be legally translated or notarized by local notaries. This is fairly easy, you find someone in the area, pay them some money, wait for about a week and all is well.

2) Some companies will require a foreign degree to be validated by a local college/university. The process involves paying some money and having a local well-known institution asserting that your degree of Ingeniero Técnico en Informática is roughly equivalent to their B.Eng in Computer Science. I know someone for whom this took 1.5 months. Your mileage may vary because it completely depends on the bureaucratic complexity of the institution in question.

Sometimes these things need to be done before they can officially onboard you. Keep this in mind, as it may delay your working start date or cause unexpected hiccups.

I thought the question was possibly localized and unconstructive, but this answer shows there's a lot more to it than a translation.
– user8365Mar 20 '13 at 19:20

I knew about this but you just added one thing that worry me: the local notaries. Let's say I'm moving to U.S., I thought that I could legally translate the degree here in Spain (so if I know I'll leave in some months I could start the process now), but your answer seems to say that only it is legally valid if it is translated in the U.S. That's true?
– user8137Mar 20 '13 at 23:08

there are two separate things in MrFox's answer. Notarization just means someone has to stamp the document saying, "This translation actually means what the document says it does" (this often happens with official government documents from another country that have to be translated, etc.). That doesn't need to be done within the US so long as you can find a notary public in Spain (there are plenty, a google search should help). The validation of your degree is a different beast and you should consult with your university/the company you are applying to for details.
– jmacMar 20 '13 at 23:56

Most English-speaking readers of your resume will appreciate having your qualifications written out in terms they can understand. It will save them time, and might save your resume from being thrown into the reject pile if it were too hard to understand. It is also good to have the original language version, so interested parties can check out more details if they want them. I would find what you wrote more than adequate.